This invention relates to an apparatus for protecting windows from damage due to inclement weather, storms, and the like.
Severe storms, such as hurricanes, require special protection for glass windows in houses and buildings to prevent damage due to the effects of the storm. The principal source of such damage is from windblown debris, and such debris generally is considered to account for a higher incidence of damage to windows than is caused by wind over pressure and subsequent breakage. Protection of windows is particularly important in the case of houses, due to the vulnerability of house contents to damage from water and debris. A significant and common cause of storm damage to the interior to homes, water damage, is often a consequence of the failure of one or more windows, which then permits driven rain and heavy water to enter during the course of a major storm.
It has, therefore, become customary to board up windows with various forms of protective sheeting so as to protect the glass panes in the window from impact by blowing debris. Even minor debris, such as small tree limbs, pieces of wood and the like, can become dangerous particles to a glass window at the wind speeds commonly encountered in a major storm.
A principal problem not readily solved by current art window protective devices is the problem of installation of these devices on windows that are not on a ground floor and installation on windows which are of metal frame construction.
The classic solution, to nail a piece of plywood across the window opening, is not feasible where the exterior of the building is stone, brick or metal, and it is extremely difficult where the window frame is made out of metal extrusion. Since metal extrusion window frames are now the most common form of window frames found in the United States, they pose a significant problem in regards to boarding up windows temporarily for storm protection.
In addition, a homeowner faces significant problems in successfully reaching and securing windows on the second floor and above in a home or apartment. The time available for securing a home and evacuating is often quite short. The movement and installation of an exterior shutter or barrier is often beyond the physical capability of a single homeowner, especially in the inclement weather that precedes a major storm. The attempt to manipulate and install a sheet of plywood or similar screen large enough to cover a typical window opening may be extremely unsafe for a single individual trying to work from an extension or step ladder, and the problem is worse where that individual has limited carpentry skills and is not used to such exertion.
In addition, while prior art window protections address the problem of affixing an exterior protective device to a window opening where it is not feasible or desireable to drive nails, none of the prior art devices address the difficulty encountered by a single individual who must install the devices on very short notice, often in inclement weather, and at elevations to high to reach from the ground. These problems are, of course, only exacerbated where the homeowner or resident is elderly or handicapped.